After years of massive commercial development in the 80's ad 90's, Santa Monica experienced a lull. But it's booming again, and one new project — barely approved by the City Council — has angry opponents saying there's not enough housing. But there's so much office space there'll be 7000 new trips every day on the 10 Freeway, which is already approaching gridlock. We hear about efforts to kill it on this year's Santa Monica ballot. Also, do Republicans have the candidates to rebuild their party in California? Later, on To the Point, after Crimea, what's Putin's next move?

FROM THIS EPISODE

After years of massive commercial development in the 80's ad 90's, Santa Monica experienced a lull. But it's booming again, and one new project — barely approved by the City Council — has angry opponents saying there's not enough housing. But there's so much office space there'll be 7000 new trips every day on the 10 Freeway, which is already approaching gridlock. We hear about efforts to kill it on this year's Santa Monica ballot. Also, do Republicans have the candidates to rebuild their party in California?

Later, on To the Point, in yesterday's referendum, more than 95% of Crimean voters elected to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia. Is it too late for Vladimir Putin to turn back? Does he want to? What are the options for the US and Europe?

Before this weekend's convention in Burlingame, California's Republican Party Chair, Jim Brulte, told reporters, the GOP "has been in decline for over two decades in this state." He said, "We have a significant rebuilding operation on our hands." David Siders is political reporter for the Sacramento Bee.

The Bergamot Transit Village was barely approved by the City Council by a vote of four to three. Santa Monica's "Residocracy" movement got double the signatures needed to put the Hines' project portion of the Village on the November ballot. If the signatures are valid, voters could decide the future of a project three-quarters the size of the Water Garden.